Phoenix Deserts
The Phoenix Deserts '''are a professional American Football team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Phoenix Deserts compete in the CPFL as a member club of the WDC South division. The Deserts play their home games at First Solar Stadium, with administrative offices and training facilities in Tempe, Arizona. The Deserts' official colors are tan, brown, and orange. Since joining the CPFL in 2000, they have been most well known for their lack of success, only going to the playoffs once in 2002 and losing in the wildcard, and only posting 2 winning seasons in their 18 years since joining the league. In 2017, they became the first ever CPFL team to go 0-16. History '''2000 The Deserts join the CPFL with fairly high expectations, drafting Wisconsin QB Kenneth Young with the #1 pick. Young, as a heisman trophy winner and leading his team to the national championship 2 years in a row was considered a sure-fire pick, and beat out journeyman QB Aaron Hamilton for the starting job in the preseason, in which they went 4-0. Unfortunately, Young struggled with injuries throughout the season and the Deserts only managed to go 3-13. 2001 The Deserts, following their dismal 2000 campaign, decide to pick DE Isaiah Franks out of Miami. A superstar while a member of the hurricanes, he earned consensus All American honors and broke NCAA records, including recording 35 sacks and 72 tackles for loss. Franks managed to have a decent rookie season in 2001, recording 72 total tackles and 5.5 sacks, but the Deserts only managed to go 4-12. Young continued to struggle with injuries, only managing to start 8 games in 2001. However, when Young was healthy he managed to put up good numbers, and there was optimism for the future of the franchise. 2002 The Deserts managed to get things clicking in 2002, with Young managing to stay healthy and play the entire season, putting up big numbers, however the defense was the true star of the show, leading the league in turnovers. Franks was not a part of this defense however, as his season was ended prematurely during week 3, however in those first 3 games he managed to get 2.5 sacks. Their first round draft pick was Patrick Tillsman, a WR out of Boston College who they selected 3rd overall. Tillsman actually had a breakout rookie season, going for over 1000 yards and earning himself a spot in the pro bowl. All of these factors combined led to them going 9-7 and securing themselves a spot in the playoffs. However, Young got himself injured in that game and they lost in heartbreaking fashion on a missed field goal, 33-31. 2003 Expectations were extremely high for the Deserts. They picked electrifying runningback Deontae Johnson out of Michigan State, who was a consensus All American and rushing for over 4,000 yards as a member of the Spartans. He was projected to go higher, however worries over his conduct almost had him slipping to the second or third round. The Deserts opened up the season hot, 3-0, however suffered a collapse after Young went down with a torn rotator cuff in week 4. Backup Wesley Sams throws for 10 TD's to 18 INT's, Tillsman goes out with a season ending knee injury in week 6, Franks gets benched in favor of 4th round rookie Randy Ports, and the Deserts absolutely collapse, ending the season 4-12 and going on an unprecedented 10 game losing streak. Oh, and to add to the Deserts' pain, Johnson gets arrested for DUI and Marijuana possession after week 8, Johnson being one of the only bright spots on the Deserts offense. This earns him a 4 game suspension from the CPFL, only for him to get literally stabbed in the back by his then-fiance during that suspension, taking him out for the rest of the season. 2004 The fans learned that having any hope for the Deserts is a mistake, as they decide to go with TE Adrian "Soldier" Vernon in the first round. Vernon gets injured in the preseason and misses the entire season. Young gets benched due to poor play in week 4, and the team continues to underachieve. Tillsman plays the entire season, but catches a case of the drops and leads the league in dropped passes. Johnson underachieves and is generally considered a locker room cancer and fumble machine, leading the league in fumbles which causes him to be benched. Franks is cut after showing up to training camp out of shape. However, they improve on their record somehow and go 6-10, likely due to their defense being fairly good and the emergence of 2002 3rd round pick Tyrell Stevens as a true star linebacker on the defense, being a pro bowl selection. 2005 The team signs arguably the biggest free agent in the class Joe Wilkerson, who is a pro-bowl caliber veteran QB and parts ways with Kenneth Young in the offseason. Wilkerson unfortunately gets injured in training camp and contracts a staph infection after getting that injury, which ends up ending his career. 5 other players on the team, including Tillsman and starting pro-bowl center Ron George also contract staph infections. Deontae Johnson crashes his motorcycle in the parking lot of the stadium, which ends his season before it even starts. Adrian Vernon picks fights with his teammates and runs his mouth to the press, claiming that he's the best TE in the league, even at 90%. Turns out he isn't, as he suffers another injury in week 4 of the season. It wasn't like he was a major contributor, as he got ejected from his week 2 game for throwing a punch at Jacksonville Alligators CB Adam Nelson and only catching 5 passes for 53 yards. He also contracts a staph infection. However, there is hope for the organization as they win 3 straight at the end of the season behind the strong arm of Bruce McGloin, who was a 6th round selection by the Boston Ninjas before being waived prior to the start of the season. The Deserts' go 5-11. Their first round pick was C Henry Godwin out of Oklahoma, who wasn't terrible as a first year starter but wasn't amazing either. 2006 McGloin leads the Deserts back to the promised land. First round pick LB Robert Fuller out of UCLA wins DROY and despite a down year from Stevens he still leads the team in sacks. Tillsman is traded for a 5th round pick and Johnson is cut. Vernon actually performs up to his trash talking and despite being even more of a locker room cancer leads the team in receptions and catches 10 TD's. McGloin gets voted to the pro bowl, and the team is 9-6. As long as they don't lose to the lowly New Orleans Lions who are 4-11, they make the playoffs. McGloin proceeds to throw 3 INT's, including the game sealing pick six. The Deserts are beaten 33-13 at home, and finish the season 9-7, on the outside looking in. 2007 Stevens, despite being one of the best players on the defense, is traded for a 3rd round pick. Godwin and his mediocrity are also traded. New GM Jim Stark decides to make a bold move and trades away his 2008 first round pick to the Cleveland Oranges for their first round pick in 2007. With their own pick, they choose C Cameron Ryan out of Arkansas. Ryan is considered one of the offensive linemen to ever play the game, and was voted to the pro bowl in his first 10 seasons, not missing a single snap in his career until his final season in 2017. With their other first round pick, they pick QB Tom Menard out of Marshall. Menard was considered to be the best QB in the class by some analysts and possessed incredible arm strength. Optimism was returned to the Deserts. However, reality is a cruel mistress. Vernon gets himself injured again, McGloin shows what he truly is, mediocrity, and the QB room is a complete mess as Menard is only excellent at throwing passes to defenders. The defense takes a step back and clearly is struggling from missing Stevens, desperately needing help in the secondary as they are one of the worst defenses against the pass in the league. The QB situation gets so bad that UDFA Nick Newhouse out of Akron is given the start week 14, and he puts up the best statline for the Desert that season before getting injured on the final drive. The Desert fall off the face of the earth and finish 2-14, gifting the Oranges the #1 pick. 2008 The Desert don't have a first round pick, the QB room is a mess, and the offense is the worst in the league. Vernon is given one last chance and is incredibly mediocre before he gets injured again. 4 QBs including Newhouse, McGloin, Menard, and 2008 3rd round selection Kelley Vick out of California all get the start at some point during the season. Menard starts off the season as the starter, coach Gregory Johnson citing a "good offseason" but after leading the NFL in Interceptions at 14 in only 8 games, including a game with 4 INT's, Menard is exiled to the shadow realm. McGloin gets the start after him, and looks to return to 2006 form before suffering a season ending injury in week 11. Vick is given the start in week 12, only for him to be benched after throwing 3 INT's in the first quarter. Newhouse, promoted from the practice squad after McGloin's injury finishes out the game and the rest of the season, being undeniably "meh" but unironically the best QB on the roster at 9 TD's to 7 INT. The Defense is actually pretty good though, anchored by Fuller and free agent signing SS Jimmie Pryor. They limp their way to a 6-10 record. 2009 Menard is cut at the beginning of the season and journeyman QB Ken Zeirer is brought in to hopefully give the Desert stability at the QB position. Coach Johnson is sent to the shadow realm. Vernon is not retained for 2009, and McGloin is traded for a 6th round pick. Zeirer wins the starting QB position with ease, and things start off optimistic for the Desert. They are leading the division at 5-3 going into their bye week. The defense is elite, and the addition of second round runningback Dylan Smith out of Arizona State adds a rushing game for the Desert that they've never seen or witnessed. However they suffer a second half collapse and end up 7-9. However, there is a silver lining, as they draft CB Ryan Boland out of South Florida in the first round, who ends up being an excellent addition and bolsters the Deserts defense immediately. 2010 The Desert decide to trade Fuller for an unexplainable reason, only getting a 3rd round pick in return, who they use on injury prone, but talented QB Mark Reid out of TCU. Vick is cut prior to the start of the season, however Newhouse sticks around for another season. Zeirer is named the starter week 1, but after suffering an injury in week 4, Reid takes over. Reid does well before inexplicably the Desert decide not to ride the hot hand and reinstate Zerier as the starter week 10. The Desert decide to wither and die, going 0-7 in the last 7 games with Zerier at the helm. Unfortunately they cant turn to anyone else, as Reid injured himself in practice and was placed on injured reserve. The Desert go 4-12 despite a decent D and Dylan Smith having his talents wasted, earning himself his first pro bowl berth and rushing for over 1,000 yards. Their first round pick is used on another corner, this time being Jacob Hayes out of Alabama. Hayes sits the year on the bench, only being used on special teams after a contract holdout had him miss most of camp and reportedly he came into Phoenix out of shape and sloppy. Hayes and coach Timothy Ryan reportedly "did not see eye to eye" and twitter rants about his lack of playing time only worsened his relations with the organization. Roster Category:Teams